Foot-guard for frogs



(No Medal.)

, G. NEVENS.

FOOT GUARD FOR FR OGS, SWITCHES, fizo.

Patezited Apr. 3,1888.

I-vve 9T0 r"; g; 0174 MW Phalolithagrlpfwr. Wilhingum. D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT prion.

GEORGE NEVENS, OF BRUNSVJIOK, MAINE.

FCOT-GUARD FOR FROGS, SWITCHES7 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent-No, 380,586, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed January 12, 1888. Serial No. 290.527. (No model.)

To all 2072,0127 it may concern.-

Beit known that I, Gnonen Nnvnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brunswick, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new anduse ful Improvements in Guardltails; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to foot-guards for railway frogs, switches, crossings, and other like placa; and the object of my invention is to provide a foot-guard or filling for the angular spaces which are formed by converging rails, and for other similar places, which shall be cheaply made, strong, and durable, which shall effectually prevent the catching of the feet of men and animals in these recesses, and which shall be adjustable to openings of different sizes.

Accidents to railroad employs and others from the cause spoken of have been of very frequent occurrence. Brakemen in particular have frequently been killed by walking backward in front of approaching trains and catching their feet in the angles of switches or frogs and being run over before being able to extricate themselves. Various devices have been tried to remedy this defective construction of the track. The most common means heretofore used wasa piece of plank properly formed and spiked to the sleepers between the sides of the angle; but these wooden guards were almost sure to split and soon became displaced. Iron guards have also been used, some of which .were flush, or nearly so, with the top of the rail, and supported by springs which were depressed when the flanges of the wheels passed over them. These last-named devices were instable, easily clogged with ice and snow, and were unsuited to the conditions in which they were put. Other devices have been used for this purpose; but they have all either lacked durability or have otherwise failed to meet the conditions required of them.

So far as Iam aware, no foot-guard has been constructed so as to be expansible laterally, and so capable of filling openings of different width.

My invention consists of a footguard for frogs, switches, 850., composed of a bar of iron or other like material secured by one end to the side of the angular opening, and extending into said opening with one or more horizontal folds or laps, whereby said space is sufiiciently filled to prevent the entrance of the foot, and

the guard rendered adjustable to spaces of dif ferent widths.

It further consists of a foot-guard for tapering spaces formed in frogs, switches, 850., consisting of a bar of iron or other like material, its two ends attached to the side of the opening, and being folded or bent to form a tongue or point extending into said opening, and horizontal shoulders or offsets near the ends, whereby said space is filled to prevent the entrance of the foot.

In the accompanying drawings I represent several modifications of my invention. The guard is constructed, preferably, of fiat bariron, the edges being vertical. One or both ends are bolted outside the nearest fish-plate, the width of the bar being such that itsnpper edge comes just below the flange of the wheel.

' The bar extends into the tapering space, forming a sufficient number of horizontal laps or corrugations to fill the space sufliciently to prevent the entrance of the foot. In practice it is not necessary to fill the space completely full in order to meet the requirements of the case, but only to fill it so far as to prevent the foot from catching under the upper flange. In the case of ordinary frogs and other places where a long tapering space is formed by converging rails, I secure both ends of the bar to the side rails and extend a single tongue or fold into the angle far enough to stop the foot from entering, as before mentioned. here a shorter and wider space is to be filled-as, for instance, the space between the wings and the body of the frog-J attach one end of the bar to the rail, and, by a series of folds or corrugations, extend it to the other side of the opening. It will thus be seen that any of the forms mentioned can be easily expanded to fill spaces of various sizes. Where the first form is used, the two ends are spread apart and both ends are preferably bolted to the sides of the angle, there being sufficient elasticity in the iron to allow of this adjustment. In the second form, where one end only is at- ICO tached to the rail, the guard is filled by spreading the laps open until they fill the required space. When a short space is to be filled and the folds of the iron are comparatively short, I only secure one end to the rail, this insuring sufficient stiffness to keep the foot-guard in place. Where the space is long, as before pointed out, I secure both ends to the sides of the angle.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan of a railway-frog provided with my device. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are perspective views showing various forms of my invention.

D is the frog, D D are the wings, and A A are the rails.

Where thelong tapering openings are formed at the throat and the heel of the frog, I introduce the form shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The guard B is constructed of a bar of fiat iron sufficiently wide so that when bolted to the web of the rail its upper edge just comes to the upper flange. The two ends B are bolted to the rail, one on each side of the opening, preferably to the nearest fish-plate. The rod is folded centrally in the form of a loop, which extends into the tapering recess nearly to its end. Two shoulders or offsets, B, are formed near the widest end of the guard. These shoulders extend inward at right angles, or nearly so, from the rail, and are opposite each other, so that they fill or nearly fill the opening. As the cars pass over the frog, one rail at the throat and heel will be depressed below the other, and the elasticity of the iron of the guard will allow it to accommodate itself to this difference of level. These guards may be constructed all in one pattern, and may be fitted to any frog by simply spreading the ends apart.

In the wings'of the frog, and in crossings and other places where the openings are short or have considerable taper, I use the form shown in Fig. 3. One end only of the bar is fastened to the rail, and the other is bent to form a number of loops I sufficient in length and number to fill the opening. These guards may be made in one size, and the loops spread apart or pressed together to adj ust them to different openings.

I. claim-- 1 A foot-guard for-railway frogs, switches, 8m, which consists of a bar of iron or other like material secured by one end to the side of the angular opening and extending into the said opening,with one or more horizontal folds or laps, whereby said space is sufficiently filled toprevent the entrance of the foot and the guard rendered adjustable to spaces of different width, substantially as shown.

2. 'A foot guard for .the tapering spaces formed in frogs, switches, &c., which consists of a bar of iron or other like material, its two ends attached to the sides of the'opening and being folded or bent to form a tongue or point extending into said opening, and horizontal shoulders or offsets near the ends, whereby said space is filled to prevent the entrance of the foot, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE NEVENS.

Witnesses:

S. W. BATES, R. A. DAVIS. 

